The esterases of skin

Abstract

Rat-skin slices hydrolysed acetyl-choline (I), tributyrin (II), and methyl butyrate, but whereas the cholinesterase activity was abolished by 10-5 M eserine, the aliphatic esterase (or esterases) was not sensitive. Summation expts. with mixed substrates and the variation of the activities with age confirmed that these were due to different enzymes and that skin contained a specific cholinesterase. Human skin also hydrolysed I and II, eserine having the same effect.